Roving cutter



May 15, 1962 Filed June l5, 1960 G. E. MILLIGAN ROVING CUTTER 5Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

May 15, 1962 G. E. MILLIGAN 3,034,213

ROVING CUTTER Filed June l5, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 aymo/m/ f. /17/ /yanINVENToR.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ROVING CUTTER G. E. MILLIGAN |l||| lll May 15, 1962Filed June l5, 1960 @dj/mond f. M//yan INVENToR.

(/OQLQAMN A. dazi ATTORNEYS 3,634,213 BOVEN@ CUTTER Gayrnond E.Milligan, 614 Knipp Road, Houston, Tex. Filed June 15, 1960, Ser. No.36,297 11 Claims. (Cl. 39m-E28) cheapest forms of brous glassreinforcement for plastic s articles and shapes in common use, are made.

The present invention is directed to an improvement in roving cuttersfor cutting roving into predetermined lengths and then separating thecut strands of roving and applying it to a plastic shape or article tobe formed. it

. is particularly directed to such an improved roving cutter which maybe held by hand and any desired quantity of the cut or chopped rovingmay be applied to a plastic article.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide animproved roving cutter which may be held by hand and which effectivelyand efficiently cuts roving, separates the strands and applies it to theplastic shape or form or article in one operation.

Yet a further object of the present invention is the provision of such aroving cutter in which the separated strands of cut roving may beapplied to plastic material arranged in various shapes, molds and thelike where it is diicult to apply roving.

Yet a further object of the present invention is the provision of afullyportable, relatively light weight, handheld, roving cutter which cutsroving into predetermined lengths, separates the strands and applies thecut and Y separated strands of roving'at the desired place,

Still a further objectof the present invention is the provision of sucha roving cutter which is eectively eiiicient in operation and which isreadily and inexpensively operated and maintained.

Still a further object of the present invention is the provision of sucha roving cutter in which the back-up roller and the cutter element areso arranged to avoid undue wear on the back-up roller and give extendedcutter efficiency.

Still a further object of the present invention is the provision of aroving cutter provided with an improved cutter element in which thecutters are easily and readily' replaced and adjusted.

Still aA further object of the present invention is the provision of apneumatic roving cutter which automath cally and effectively lubricates4the various parts of the cutter. l

Other and further objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will be apparent from the following description of a presentlypreferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, in which like character references designate like partsthroughoutthe several views, and where FIGURE l is a side sectional viewof a roving cutter according to the present invention,

FIGURE 2 is -a partial end view of the roving cutter looking in thedirection of the arrows 2 2,

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3 -3 of FIGURE l,

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4 4 of FIGURE l,

FIGURE 5 is an exploded, fragmentary, perspective view of the cutterrotor illustrating the manner of inserting and replacing the cutterblades,

3,34,2i3 Patented May l5, 1962 FIGURE 6 is a view taken along the line6-6 of FIGURE l,

FiGURE 7 is a perspective view of the baclcup roller and roving driverassembly, and

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of FIGURE 6.

Referring now'to the drawings, and particularly Vto FIGURE l, the rovingcutter is generally designated by the reference numeral itl and includesa body 12 which includes the various driving and cutting elements, aspresently described, the handle 1d for gripping the cutter andcontrolling its operation, as presently described, and the outlet i6 inwhich the roving cut into predetermined lengths is discharged andseparated on to a plastic form, mold or shape to which it is desired toadd chopped roving.

The body 12 is provided with the chamber 1S which is vclosed on eachside by the cover plates 20 and 22, as

best seen in FIGURE 4, for assembling the various elements of the cuttercontained in the chamber 1S and for making repairs, replacements and thelike.

While the body l2, handle 14 and outlet 16 may be formed of any desiredmaterial, preferably it is formed of a light weight metal to give therequired strength and rigidity and at the same time be light enough tobe handled by an operator over long periods of time without tiring. Onesuch material is aluminum although it will be understood that anydesired material may be used.

Referring again to FIGURE l, in the body 12 there are provided the airor pneumatic motor 24, the pressure roller 26, the cutter rotor 23 andthe back-up roller 39 for the pressure roller Z6 and cutter rotor 28.

An opening 32 is provided in the lower portion of the body 12 into whichis secured the guide bushing 34 provided with the passage 36 forreception of roving. It is noted that the inner end of the bolt Eilandits passage 36 extend between the pressure roller 26 and the back-uproller Si) so that roving is fed between these rollers for drawing itinto the chamber 18 and in contact with the blade type cutters 36carried by the cutter rotor 28 for cutting the roving.

In order to insure that the roving is directed toward the cutter rotor28 a guide bar 3S is provided between the pressure roller 26 and theback-up roller 30.

The mounting details for the pressure roller 26, back-up roller 3l) andguide bar 38 are bes-t illustrated in FIG URE 7 to which reference isnow made. A frame assemoly including the sides 4t? and 42 receive theshafts 44 and 46 of the pressure roller 26 and'back-up roller 30 forjournaling them in position. An adjustment thread 4S is provided in theboss 50 disposed in thevbottom S2 of the frame for threadedly receivingthe adjustment screw 54, as best seen in 'FIGURE 1,'for adjus-tablysupporting the back-up roller 3d with respect to the cutter rotor 2S.

. determined relationship at all The pressure roller 26 and back-uproller Sill have the inner core 27 and 29, respectively, which is'covered with a resilient surf-ace 31 and 33, respectively, such as onemade of rubber, neoprene or other resilient surfaces which effectivelygrip .the roving and move it through the cutter.

Referring now to FIGURE 5, the details of the cutter rotor 2Sy andcutter blades 36 and their mounting is 3 illustrated. The cutter rotor28 is provided with a series of radially extending slots 25 into whichare placed the cutter blades 36. The leaf type springs 27 are alsoprovided, only one being shown in -this view, and are placed in theslots 25 along with the blades 36' which releas-ably hold them in place,as illustrated in FIG- URE l.

It is also noted in FIGURE 4, that the side plates 43 are secured to thesidesrof thecutter rotor 28, such as by the. bolts 45, although they maybe secured in other ways, whichinclude the inwardlyextending terminalstop members 47 which engage the chamfer 49 of :the

blades 36'Y which assist in maintaining the blades 36 inv position. v

Thus, the blades 36' may be added quickly and conveniently to the cutterrotor 28 by removing the side plates 43,'pulling the blades 36 randsprings 27 out of the slots 25, inserting new blades and the springs 27in these slots 25 and re-attaching .the cover plates 43.

The details of mounting the cutter rotor 28 are best f illustrated inFIGURE 4 to which reference is now made. The shafts 35 and 37 extendingfrom each end of the cutter Y'rotor 28 are journaled in the bearings 39source, not shown. A trigger assembly 59 provided which Iactuates thespring pressed needle valve generally indicated by the reference numeral60.

The air passage 54 extends up through the handle 14 and is incommunication with the counterbored portion 61, the air passage 62, thecounterbored portion 63 at l the other end of the passage 62 wlL'chreceives the needle' valve generally designated by the reference numeral64. Adjustment of the needle valve 64 controls the amount of passinginto the passages 65,'only one being shown, for separating the strandsofcut roving and applying i-t to the'plastic as presently described.

Referring now to the details of construction of the triggerassernbly'59, a slot 66 xis cu-t in the upper rear- Ward portion of thehandle 14 into which is .pivotally secured the .trigger 67 by the pivot68. The upper end of `the trigger 67 includes aV projection 69 to whichis secured the plunger 70 of the needle valve 60.

The plunger 70 has the needle valve element 71 on its inner end whichseats against the valve seat 72 provided in the annular valve A-body73which is threaded-ly or otherwise secured inthe counterbored portion 61,such as by the 'threaded tarea 74.

A bolt 75 is threaded-or otherwise secured in the bore 76 of the valvebody 73 to serve as a stop for the compression'spring 77 at one end. Astop member 78 is provided adjacent the other end so that the spring 77resiliently maintains theneedle valve element 71 seated vagainst thevalve seat'72.

A series of ports 79 are provided in the valve body 73 proximate the airinlet passage 54 so that air entering the air passage 54 flows into thevalve body 73.

' -It seems apparent that the pressure of the air against the valveelement 71 and the spring 77 yieldingly maintain the needle valveelement 71 Vagainst the rvalve seat 72 until the trigger 67 is squeezedwhich causes the projection'69 toV move backwardly andthereby open theneedle valve. This, of course, permits air to ow to the various elementsas presently described. .Once the trigger 67 isA released, however, thecombined, action'of theY air pressure Yand spring 77 immediately closethe needle valve 60. Y

It is'notedthat the entire needle valve assembly 60 may be removedfor'repairs or replacement. Of course,

4 suitable packing, such as the `0rings 80' and 81' at the inner andouter ends of the valve body 73 are provided to electively seal oit theassembly.

Still with reference to FIGURE 1, the needle valve assembly 64 isprovided to adjust the amount of air ilowing in the passages 65 andbeing ejected out the opening 16. As in case of the needle valve 60, theneedle valve 64 is also made in a complete assembly which may be readilyremoved for repairs, replacements and maintenance.

An annular valve body 80 is provided which is threadedly or otherwiseinserted into the counterbored portion 63, such as by the threaded area81. A valve seat 82 is provided adjacent the interior end of the valvebody 80 and a needle valve element 83 is provided on the inner end ofthe valve stem 84 extending from the threaded portion 8'5 and nut 86which is threaded through the threaded opening 87 in the valve body 83so that adjustment of the nut 86 adjusts the position of the needlevalve element 83 with respect to valve seat 82.

The valve body 80 has the ports 88 so that lair from the passage 62ilows into the valve body 83 through the valve seat 82, out the ports S8into the counterboredA portions 63 and into the passages 65 whichcommunicate with the passages 17 in the outlet 16.

As in the needle valve assembly 60, there are provided in the needlevalve assembly 64 suitable packing ele ments, suchV as the O-rings 89and 90 to suitably pack oi this valve assembly.

Referring now to FIGURE 3, the air passage 62 has -a branch member 91leading to a lubricant assembly 92 and to the air passage 93 leading tothe air motor 94, as best seen in FIGURE l.

The air motor 94 is generally a rotor provided with the helical vanes 95and which rotor 94 is eccentrically mounted in the motor housing 96 bythe shaft 97. The vanes 95 are slidably mounted in the slots 98 so thatmore area to the vanes is provided in the upper portion and thedirection of rotation to eiect rotation of the rotor 94. The air passage91 is in communication with the rotor 94 through the end bearing platesand a slot 99 is .provided to exhaust 'the air. Since'this slot 99 isonly on one side it acts as an increasing pressure exhaust indetermining the direction ofthe motor. The air exhausted through theslot 99 enters the outlet void 100 between the motor housing 96 and thebody 10. The extended void 100 permits the slot 99 to be put in anyclose alignment with 4the exhaust ports 101 without having to be toocareful of choking olf the exhaust. Thus, the air exhausts in adirection away from the direction in which the cut bers are beingdirected by thecutter.

As best seen in FIGURE 4, the rotor blades 9'5 are generally helicallymounted to provide a more eicient drive. A bearing ring 102 is providedwhich receives the shaft 103 lfor centering the rotor 94 in the housing96.

The shaft 97 extending from the other end of the rotor 94 is journaledthrough a similar bearing 104 and has connected to its free extremitythe driving gear 105. l

The driving means from the driving gear 105 is housed in the gearchamber 106 at one side of the body 12.

The ldriving means preferably is a gear train which is best illustratedin FIGURE 8, to which reference is now made. In this figure asatisfactory gear train is provided which includes the idler 107 meshingwith and being driven by the driving gear 105 which provides a gearreduction. The idler 107 engages and drives the driven gezr whichrotates the cutter rotor 28 (FIGURES 1 an In order to provide reverserotation to the gear which drives the back-up roller so that the4direction of rotation will be such that the roving is forced between thecutter and the back-up roller (FIGURE 1) the idler gear 109 engages andis driven by the idler 107, which idler gear 109 in turn engages anddrives the driven gear 110 for the back-up roller. It is noted that thedrive train is such that there is no change in gear pitch speed in thedriven gear 110 from the driven gear 108.

As best seen in FIGURE 4, the details of mounting the idler gear 107 andthe driven gear 10S for driving the cutter rotor 28 are illustrated. Theidler and reduction gear 107 is provided with the shaft 111 which isjournaled in the bearings 112 at each side for rotatably supporting thegear 107 in position.

The driven gear 108 is connected to the shaft 113 extending from thecutter rotor shaft 35 and is supported by the bearing 41 as previouslydescribed.

In order to seal ofithe cutter rotor 28 and the chamber 18 from anylubricant, a bearing surface 114 is provided by the gear hub 115, whichbearing surface 114 engages the annularly disposed packing 116surrounding the rotor shaft 37.

With reference to FIGURE 6, the idler gear 109 and driven gear 110 forthe pressure roller 26 and back-up roller 30, respectively, are securedto their respective shafts 44 and 46. In addition, the bearing surfaces117 and 118 are provided which respectively engage the packings 119 and120 surrounding the shafts 44 and 46, respectively, to prevent lubricantfrom entering the cham ber in the frame 40 disposed in the chamber 1S ofthe body 12.

While the gear train described in some detail is preferred, any desireddrive means may be utilized in which there is provided a gear reductionand in which the back-up roller '30 and cutter rotor 23 are driven at.the same surface or peripheral speed.

In order to lubricate the gears, and as best seen in FIGURE 3, alubricant reservoir 121 is provided in the upper portion of the body 12which is closed by the threaded plug 122 being threadedly secured in thethreaded area 123 of the body 12. The plug 122 is provided with aneffective seal 124 which eiectively prevents leakage of pressure to theoutside of the body 12, but is provided with a seal 125 which permitspressure to be applied through the seal from the air line 91 into thebranch lines 126 leading to the passage 127 so that pressure is appliedto the lubricant in the reservoir 121.

A passage 128 is provided from the reservoir 121 leading to the gearchamber 106, as best seen in FIGURE 4 so that lubricant under pressureis always `being provided to the gear chamber 106, as best seen inFIGURE 4.

A lubricant discharge port 129 is provided adjacent a rearward portionof the gear chamber 1416 for removal of lubricant therefrom.

In operation, roving `is inserted into the opening 36 and up between thepressure roller 26 and -back-up roller 30. By merely pressing thetrigger 67 air pressure is applied to the motor 94 which through thereduced gear drive drives the back-up roller 3d and cutter rotor 2S atthe same' speed and in the directions previously mentioned. This permitsthe blade edges 36 to move at the same peripheral speed with respect tothe back-up roller thereby preventing any cutting or undue wear on theback-up roller 3i). The pressure roller 26 is free turning, the gear 109:being an idler gear, it moves with the movement of the roving andback-up roller 3G. The roving is chopped into the desired lengths andthe air passing out the openings 17 draw the cut roving out of thecutter, separate the strands and direct it as desired.

=It is noted that the roving may be cut at any predetermined desiredlength merely by placement of the cutter blades 36'. Also, as the cutterblades 36 may vary in Width the back-up cutter 3i) may be adjusted forthis dierential so that effectively eicient cutting of the rovingwithout any undue wear on the back-up roller 3u is obtained. Y

The amount of air provided to the outlet 65 may be varied, as previouslymentioned, by adjustment ot the adjusting nut 86 for whatever purpose isdesired. Also, as previously mentioned the cutter is disassembled andthe n various parts repaired or replaced or adjusted readily and easily.In' addition, a highly eflicient lubrication system is provided.

While the present invention is particularly adapted for use as a handheld mechanism, in View of its simplicity, compactness and light Weight,it may be utilized in iixcd relation, that is it may be mounted in xedrelation, to plastic shapes, forms, molds and the like to be reinforcedwith roving.

The present invention therefore is well suited and adapted to attain theobjects and ends and has the advantages mentioned as well as othersinherent therein.

While a presently preferred embodiment of the invention has beendescribed for purposes of disclosure, numerous changes in details ofconstruction and arrangement of parts may be made which are within thespirit of the invention as dened by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A roving cutter comprising, an enclosed body, a pressure rollerdisposed in the body, a backup roller disposed in the body `adjacent thepressure roller, a cutter rotor provided with cutting blades disposed inthe body adjacent the backup roller and Aarranged so that roving passesbetween the pressure roller and the backup roller and between the backuproller and cutter rotor thereby cutting theroving into predeterminedlengths, said body enclosing said rollers and rotor, inlet means in thebody of a size slightly larger than the roving for introducing theroving into the body `and passing it between thepressure roller and thebackup roller as aforesaid, an ejector at the fonvvard end ot the bodyin communication with the backup roller and the cutter rotor andprovided with air jets for ejecting the cut roving, a motor carried bythe body, and drive means operatively connecting the motor with thebackup roller and with the cutter rotor and driving the cutter rotor inone direction and the backup roller in a reverse direction and the edgesof the cutting blades and the backup roller at substantially the sameperipheral Y speed.

2. A roving cutter comprising, an enclosed body, a pressure'rollerdisposed in the body, a backup roller disposed in the lbody adjacent thepressure roller, a cutter rotor providing with cutting edges disposed inthe body adjacent the backup roller, roving entering the cutter passingbetween the pressure roller and the backup roller and between the backuproller and the cutter rotor, said body enclosing said rollers and rotor,inlet means in the body of a size slightly larger than the roving forintroducing the roving into the body and passing it between the pressureroller and the backup roller as aforesaid, an ejector in the forward endof the bodyffor ejecting the cut roving in communication with the backuproller and the cutter rotor, an air motor carried by the body, meansproviding air to the motor for driving the same, drive means operativelyconnecting the motor with the backup roller and with the cutter rotorand arranged to rotate the cutter rotor in one direction and the backuproller in a reverse direction and the cutting edges yand the backuproller at the same peripheral speed, and air passageways in the ejectorin huid communication with the means for providing air to the motorwhereby the air jetting'through the passageways draws the cut roving outof the body through the ejector. j

3. The roving cutter of claim 2 where the drive means comprises ladriving gear connected to the motor, a driven gear connected to therotor .cutter engaging and being drivenby the drive gear, an idler gearbeing driven by the driving gear, and an additional gear connected tothe back-up roller engaging and being driven by the idler gear, saidgears being arranged to'drive the cutting edges and the back-up rollerat the same peripheral speed..

4. The roving cutter of claim 2 including a trigger assembly, saidtrigger assembly including a spring-pressed needle valve assemblynormally closing the means providing `air to the motor but openable uponactuation of 7 said ,trigger assembly Vfor providingV air Asupply tothemotor. e

5. A roving cutter comprising, a body, a rst chamber in the body, apressure roller rotatably mounted in the chamber, a back-up rollerrotatably mounted in the rst chamber adjacent the pressure roller, acutter rotor provided with cutting edges rotatably mounted in the rstchamber adjacent the back-up roller, means in the body for feedingroving into the chamber between the pressure roller and back-up roller,said Vpressure roller and backup roller feeding the roving between theback-up roller and the cutter rotor thereby cutting the roving, an airmotor in the body apart from the irst chamber, the body provided with anair passage for supplying air to the air motor, a discharge opening atthe forward end of the body opening into the first chamber, a pluralityof ports arranged about the discharge opening, -air passage meansconnecting the ports with the air passageway for jetting air out theopening and drawing cut roving therethrough, a second chamber in thebody, drive means in the sec- ,ond chamber connecting the motor to theback-up roller and cutter rotor -for driving the same, said drive meansand rotating the back-up roller and the cutting edges of the cutterrotor at the same peripheral speed, a lubricant Yreservoir in the body,a passageway inruid communication with the reservoir and with the secondchamber for lubricating the gear means, jan additional passageway influid communicating from the air passage to the reservoir for applyingthe air pressure to the lubricant in the reservoir, and exhaust outletmeans in the second chamber exhausting lubricated air therefrom.

6. The roving cutter of claim including a normally closed valve assemblyin the air passage openable to ,permit 110W of air to the motor and tothe ports.

7. The roving cutter of claim 6 including a choke arrangement in iluidcommunication `with the air passage for applying air pressure to thelubricant in the Y reservoir.

8. A rotary-cutter for roving comprising, a rotor, a

Y apaga 13 8 plurality of radially extending -and circumferentiallyspaced slots, at least one blade-like cutter element disposed'in atleast one of the slots, and a leaf-like spring member insertable in theslots yieldingly holding the blade-like cutter member in the slots;

9. rTheV cutter of claim 8 where the blade-like cutter ,members'areprovided with stop shoulders adjacent their sides, and including stopmembers secured to each side maintaining the blades in the slots.

l0. A roving cutter comprising,V a first frame, a second frame mountedin the rst frame, a pressure roller rotatably mounted in the secondframe and provided with shaft extensions pivotally mounting the secondtrame in lthe rst frame, a back-up roller rotatably mounted in thesecond frame adjacent the pressure roller, a cutter rotor provided withcutting edges rotatably mounted in the lrst frame adjacent the back-uproller whereby roving passes between the pressure roller'and back-uproller and between the back-up roller and the cutter rotor for cuttingthe roving, means carried by the rst frame for rotating the back-uproller and the cutter'rotor, and an adjusting element adjustablysecuring the second frame to the first Iframe adjacent theb'ack-up'roller whereby operation of the adjusting element moves theback-up roller toward and away from the cutter rotor.`

l1. A rotary cutter for roving comprising, a rotor, at least oneradially-extending slot in the rotor, a bladelike cutter elementdisposed in the slot, and a leaf-like spring lmember insertable in theslot yieldingly holding the blade-like cutter member in the slot.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,618,817 Slayter Nov. 25, 1952 2,719,336 Stotler V Oct. 4, 19552,787,314 Anderson Apr. 2, 1957 2,808,884. Shaun et al. Oct. 8, 1957

